F1 News: Toto Wolff Reveals Difficult Time With Lewis Hamilton - "I Don't Want To Divorce You"

Toto Wolff reveals his relationship with Lewis Hamilton hasn't been entirely smooth sailing.

The team principal of Mercedes Toto Wolff appears to be entering another phase with a potential contract renewal with Lewis Hamilton, but while they've shared incredible moments of success, the Austrian businessman has admitted that it hasn't all been smooth sailing for him and his driver-turned-friend. Talking to Radio 4, the headphone smasher and desk crasher likened his friendship with the 7-time world champion to his marriage with Susie Wolff.

Reflecting on the years he's shared with Hamilton, the seasoned 51-year-old team leader acknowledged the rollercoaster ride they've been on. 

"Lewis has become a friend and over years we've gone through difficult spells and very good moments. We celebrated many championships and we had discussions among ourselves which were not always easy," he admitted.

To Wolff, Hamilton, a son of Stevenage, represents far more than just a driver or a co-worker. Their relationship can weather any storm, he believes. 

"Even if we shout at each other, even if we have this argument, there's never thought of divorcing, and that's why I said to him, ‘I don't want to divorce you and neither do you,'" Wolff voiced.

Looking back at a period of silence between the two behemoths, Wolff admitted that during 2016, the two didn't speak for a long period of time. During the 2016 season, Hamilton suffered with a number of reliability issues, and this didn't help in his charge against then-teammate Nico Rosberg. The German-Finnish driver won the title that year, and while Hamilton had four titles to his name, the loss obviously agitated him, leading to a rocky relationship with his boss, Toto. 

"We didn't speak to each other for a while. So I invited him to come to my kitchen in Oxford and sit down and have a chat."